Joe Passey 1919 - 2008, the small man with a big grin and a huge heart who played the double bass, was the co-founder with Keith Rowe in 1988 of the Pickering Jazz Festival. Joe’s great enthusiasm for jazz really helped to get it off the ground - in the early days the raffle from the one evening paid for the band the next evening! Sadly he died shortly before the 21st Festival this year which was almost a total sell out! We give condolences to his family and pay tribute to him.

Beacon Report.